Cork ejector with pressurized liquid propellant



July-6, 1965 G. J. FEDERIGHI 3,192,803

CORK EJECTOR WITH PRESSURIZED LIQUID PROPELLANT Filed March so, 1964IEIEI: 'L :5 IE; En TIE: Q:

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INVENTOR.

GEORGE J. FEDERIGHI BY secwv ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,192,863CGRK EJECTUR WITH FRESSURIZED LIQUID PROPELLANT George .I. Federighi,llBelvedere, Calif. Stero Chemical Mtg. Co., 713-1331 St, San Francisco,Calif.) Filed Mar. 30, I964, Ser. No. 355,685 1 Claim. (Cl. til-3.2)

The present invention relates to improvements in a cork ejector withpressurized liquid propellant, and has particular reference toimprovements over my United States Patent No. 3,085,454, dated April 16,1963, and entitled Pressurized Device for Uncorking Bottles.

In the above-identified patent, a tubular holder slidably receives acontainer which encloses a pressurized nontoxic gas, the holder having aneedle that is made to be pushed through a cork in a bottle. The needlecommunicates with an outlet tube of the container to receive gastherefrom, and when the container is pushed inwardly relative to theholder, valve means are opened so that the gas will be conveyed to theinterior of the bottle below the cork so as to lift the latter. When thecontainer is released from manual pressure of the operator, the valvemeans are automatically closed to cut off further outflow of the gas.

However, it has been found that in some instances the corks are dry andporous, and the gas would escape upwardly through the corks withoutlifting the corks out of the bottles.

Accordingly, it is proposed in this invention to provide a cork ejectorin which a pressurized liquid propellant is injected into the bottlebelow the cork. As the liquid propellant enters the low pressure area inthe bottle, the expansion force of the liquid is so great as to assurethe cork in being blown out by a sudden thrust or impact, but withoutbreaking the bottle. This requires less liquid than if gas were used.

Moreover, the pressurized device shown in the aboveidentified patentrequires a dip tube, which is entirely omitted in the present corkejector, thereby reducing the cost of manufacturing.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the specification continues,and the novel features will be pointed out in the appended claim.

Drawing For a better understanding of the invention, reference should behad to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, inwhich:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary view of a corked bottle, partially in section,and disclosing my cork ejector with pressurized liquid propellant inoperative position for ejecting a cork from the bottle;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through the cork ejector,the dispensing valve means being shown in closed position;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken through the valvedispensing means, the latter being closed as in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 2, but showing the pressurizedcontainer in elevation, and with the container moved into a position soas to open the valve dispensing means; and

FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectional view on an enlarged 3,1913% PatentedJuly 5, 1965 Detailed description Referring now to the drawing indetail, I have shown a bottle A containing liquid 10, the neck 11 ofthis bottle having a cork 12 pressed thereiuto. It will be noted that mycork ejector comprises two main components: a Y

tubular holder B and a pressurized container C.

As clearly shown in FIGURES 2 and 4, the tubular holder B defines a bore14 and a base 15. The pressurized the base 15 from below. This needleprojects below the base so that it may be pushed through the cork 12, asv shown in FIGURE 1.

In its structural details, the pressurized container C has a shorttubular fitting 17 mounted on its rim 18 and held in place by a cap IQthat is crimped to the rim of the container (see FIGURES 2 and 4). Also,the container is provided with an outlet tube 20 that projects upwardlyinto a chamber 21 formed in the fitting 17. The outlet tube 20 isslidable inwar ly and outwardly relative to the fitting 17, and theholder B guides the container C in vertical movement of the latter so asto prevent the outlet tube 26 from being bent laterally.

As shown in FIGURE 2, the needle 16 communicates with the outlet tube 26so as to receive a pressurized liquid propellant in the mannerhereinafter described. It will be seen that an O ring 22 is provided inthe fitting 16a and through which the lower end of the outlet tube V 20may be telescoped with a liquid-tight fit to thus preclude escapement ofthe liquid propellant into the bore 14 of the holder B.

The container C encloses a pressurized liquid propellant 23 which isavailable on the market at the present time. This liquid has sufi'icientpressure to expel or raise l the cork 12 relative to the bottle A, butis of the low pressure type so as to preclude bursting of the bottle A.For

example, Freon made by du Pont may be used, since it is non-toxic andnon-medicated.

The pressurized liquid propellant 23 will be forced into the chamber 21of the tubular fitting through an opening 24 formed in the latter.

The container C is provided with a normally closed container.

the tube 20. This gasket is resilient and is clamped in place betweenthe cap 19 and the lower end of the fit- I ting 17.

A compression spring 29 is mounted in the chamber 21 so as to surroundthe upper section of the outlet tube 20, and the bottom of this springbears against an annular flange 30 that is formed on the exterior of theoutlet tube (see FIGURES 3 and 5). This arrangement is such that thespring 29 urges the outlet tube 24 downwardly until the opening 28 issealed by the gasket 27 (see FIGURES 2 and 3). At this time, thedispensing valve means D are closed.

It will be noted that the base 15 has a tube-receiving socket 31a intowhich the lower end of the outlet tube extends, and this socket isaligned with the bore of the fitting 16a into which the tubular needle16 extends. The fitting 1654 has a shoulder 31 therein disposed at aboutthe top of the needle (see FIGURE 2). The lower end of the outlet tubebears against this shoulder when the container C is pushed inwardly ofthe holder B to a predetermined position (see FIGURE 2). At this timethe valve means D are closed.

Moreover, a tubular needle 16 has its upper end i However, the shoulder31 is disposed to slide the outlet tube 20 inwardly of the container Cto unseat the valve means D when the container C is pushed further intothe holder B beyond this predetermined position (see FIG- URE 4). Asclearly shown in FIGURE 5, the opening 28 is uncovered by the gasket 27,when the valve means D are opened. This will permit the pressurizedliquid propellant 23 to flow downwardly through the tubular needle 16,where this liquid will flow through ports 32 formed in the lower end ofthe needle, with this outflow of the pressurized liquid propellantpassing into the interior of the bottle A below the cork 12.

When the liquid propellant 23 changes from a liquid to a gas, it expandsas much as 260 times. As the liquid propellant enters the low pressurearea 33 in the bottle A between the liquid contents 1t and the cork 12,the liquid propellant will immediately and suddenly expand, and theexpansion force is so great as to blow the cork out of the bottle with asudden thrust or impact, without any of it escaping through the cork,even though the latter may be dry or porous.

It is important to note that the valve dispensing means D are operableby a movement of the container C to control outflow of the liquidpropellant 23 from the container and into the bottle. The container Chas an upper end 34 that projects above the top of the tubular holder Bso that this upper end is exposed for being depressed by an operator soas to open the valve means D. The entire device may be readily graspedin one hand of the operator and the holder B guides the pressurizedcontainer C when the operator applies downward force by a thumb orfinger of the same hand, while the other hand is used for grasping thebottle A.

As clearly shown in FIGURES 3 and 5, the outlet tube 20 has a wall 35 atits upper end forming a closure thereover. Thus the liquid propellant 23must pass through the opening 28 in order to flow through the outlettube 20 and into the tubular needle 16, and the opening 28 must beuncovered by the gasket 27 before the liquid propellant can enter theoutlet tube.

The relatively short tubular fitting 17 through which the liquidpropellant is conveyed is arranged near thebottom of the container C sothat substantially all of the liquid 23 may be dispensed from thecontainer, and no dip tube is required.

It will be apparent that the container C is guided by the bore 14 of theholder B for straight axial movements,

whereby the outlet tube 2% will not be bent laterally during thereciprocating movements of the container. Moreover, the container C withits outlet tube and valve means D is withdrawable as a unit, whereby areplacement container and its outlet tube and valve means may beinserted into the holder, or the withdrawn container may be rechargedwith pressurized liquid propellant and then reinserted into the holder.

I claim:

In a cork ejector with pressurized liquid propellant:

(a) a tubular holder defining a bore and a base, the latter having atube-receiving socket and a shoulder associated with the socket;

(b) a container enclosing a pressurized liquid propellant that isnon-medicated and non-toxic;

(c) the container being slidably disposed in the bore of the holder, andbeing movable toward and away from the base;

(d) a tubular needle having an upper end anchored to the base andprojecting below the latter, and being made to be pushed through a corkin a bottle containing liquid;

(e) the container being provided with an outlet tube for discharge ofthe propellant;

(f) the outlet tube removably projecting into the tubereceiving socket;

(g) the needle communicating with the outlet tube to receive the liquidpropellant therefrom, and being made to convey the liquid propellant tothe interior of the bottle to eject the cork with a sudden thrust orimpact, when the liquid propellant expands in the interior of the bottlebelow the cork;

(h) the outlet tube being slidable inwardly and outwardly relative tothe container;

(i) a normally closed dispensing valve means sealing the outlet tubeagainst escapement of the liquid propellent from the container;

(j) the valve means being arranged to be unseated, when the outlet tubeis moved inwardly relative to the container;

(k) the lower end of the outlet tube bearing against the shoulder, whenthe container is pushed inwardly of the holder to a predeterminedposition, and the shoulder urging the outlet tube inwardly of thecontainer to unseat the valve means, when the container is pushedfurther into the holder beyond this predetermined position;

(l) the outlet tube communicating with the lower part of the containerto receive the liquid propellant therefrom, when the valve means areopened, and the needle extends downwardly through the cork;

(m) and the container being provided with a short fitting in the lowerend of the container and extending only a short distancewithin thecontainer and including an opening therein placing the liquid propellantdirectly in communication with the valve means.

ReferencesCited by the Examiner UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 3,085,454 4/63Federighi 813.2

WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

JAMES L. JONES, JR., Examiner.

